Iran To File FIFA Complaint Over World Cup Travel Restrictions

Iran’s football federation has announced plans to lodge a formal complaint with FIFA, alleging that travel restrictions during the 2026 FIFA World Cup are disrupting the national team’s preparations ahead of a crucial group-stage fixture against Belgium.

The federation’s spokesman said on Thursday that Iran had faced repeated obstacles despite submitting their tournament plans well before the competition began. According to the official via Punch, the restrictions have affected the coaching crew’s ability to carry out key aspects of their preparation programme.

“Despite having submitted its preparation schedule for the tournament well in advance, Iran’s national football team has once again encountered restrictions imposed by the organisers, affecting the implementation of its technical staff’s plans,” the spokesman said.

Iran are currently based in Tijuana, Mexico, and had requested permission to travel to Los Angeles two days before Sunday’s clash with Belgium. The federation argued that an earlier arrival was necessary to allow players enough time to acclimatise and complete their final preparations before the midday kick-off.

However, the request was reportedly rejected, prompting frustration within the Iranian camp and setting the stage for a complaint to football’s world governing body.

“Given that the game will be played at 12:00 pm local time in Los Angeles, the Football Federation of Iran requested that the team be allowed to travel to Los Angeles two days before the match,” the spokesman said.

“The aim was to provide sufficient time for players to adapt to the match conditions, complete their final training session, and finalise preparations.

“Despite the technical reasons presented by the federation, the request was once again denied.”

The federation believes the decision could place the team at a competitive disadvantage as it seeks to progress from the group stage.